The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-19
THE GREAT FLOODSIN CHINA
An Immense Expanse of Country Flood
ed by the HOang-Ho and the Pei-Ho.
a Hundred Millions-People Homeless,
Crops Destroyed, and No Food at Hand

Disasters Among Population of More Than
a Hundred Millions-People Homeless.
Crops Destroyed, and No Food at Hand.
Chinese Times, Tientsin, Oct. 15
At the moment of going TO press we learn the
Yellow river, which has burst its banks over a
very long line has flooded an immense expanse
OF country in Honan, Shantung. and Chilli. and
the flood has even reached Anhui. The loss OF
life is enormous; numerous cities, towns and
villages have been destroyed, and the ruin done
is of incalculable amount. 1t is said the Hoang-
no now tends to enter its old bed which has
been dry since 1882 or 1888 for the most part
and completely dry since 1887 The Chinese
government is much alarmed, IS remedial
measures possible.
There is no doubt that a most frightful calam-
ity has occurred of huge proportions, and that
there has been appalling loss OF life in the Cities
towns and villages that have been overwhelmed
by the sudden rush of the waters. All informa-
ton confirms that the break occurred in the
southern bank, not far from Kai-fung-fu, and is
about four miles in length Also that four pre-
fectrual districts have been flooded and destroyed
with all their inhabitants. It will tax the re-
sources of the empire during the coming winter
TO feed the people in the districts partially
flooded aud. perhaps, wholly ruined, but whose
population have not been drowned
The Overlooking of Yellow River
Official News Gazette, Oct. s.
i. A Decree-We have received a memorial
from Ch'eng-fu reporting that the Yellow river
has burst its banks below Cheng Chou and has
flooded ten parishes, and requesting that he him
self and and the officers responsible for it's
troll should be punished In September the riv-
er works at the place in question showed signs
of great danger, and rush of water having
come down. the entertainments, moles and dykes
gave way and ten parishes were placed under
water Lower down, where there were en-
bankments, the river rose several feet above its
banks and overhowed the surrounding country.
The officers in charge of the river works showed
an objectionable remissness in not taking pre-
cautionary measures beforehand, and the Di-
rector general, in suggesting that they should
be degraded. has requested unduly
light form of punishment. We command
that the following officers be degraded and
posed in the cangIe along the banks of the riv-
er: The sub-prefecr and major of Shang-an the
assistant department magistrate of Cheng
Chou. and the lieutenant and second sergeant of
the station below Cheng Chou. Let LII Cheng-
jung, the intendant OF the kai Kuei Chen Hsu
circuit, be deprived OF his button and handed
over to the board for the determination of a
penalty Ch'eng-fu. on whom the control of
the river specially devoived cannot be acquitted
OF blame for having failed TO take precautions
for repairing the damage and averting further
disaster. The people in the immediate neigh
move to higher ground before the casualty
Cured. and have been duly provided for Let
Ch'eng-fu and Nj Wen-wei take joint measures
for inspecting and relieving the more distant
districts that have suffered from the foods and
report to Us what has been done.
Report from the Governor of Honan.
Official Peking Gazette.
The Governor OF Houan forwards report. He
states that there had been large accumulation
of water during the autumn in the river Chin
and the Hoang-ho and that the volume was
still further swollen by the incessant rain which
prevailed for some ten days preceding the event
Both banks of the Yellow river appeared to be
in imminent danger, and the upper and middle
stations on the south bank were especially con-
sdered to be in very critical condition.
Though every effort had been made to insure
the stability of this portion of the work, yet
great change was noticed In the state of the riv-
er on tho oath of September. All along the
river from the eighth to the tenth section of the
lower division of Cheng Chou. the entertainments
were swept down and the fascines carried away
by the force of the current
On the 18th and Goth September the havoc
was continued and the embankments collapsed
in over forty places. The danger being extreme,
the director general FASTENED to the and
worked day and night with all his available
staff. The emorialist also sent to his assistance
force of 900 under the commander-in-
chief and a body of 40 under other officers. In
spite, however. of all these exertlons, early in
the morning of the Both September a letter came
from the director general stating that only
slender line of emhaukment remained to with
stand the whole force of the current, and that
repairs were no sooner made than they were
washed away.
On receipt of this terrible intelligence, the
memorialist started at once for the scene of dan
ger, attended by very small escort, and on the
way he receive ed notes from the Taotai Ii
Cheng jung, informing him that on the night of
Sept 29 breach had been made at the tenth
section of the lower station in Cheng Chou. He
pressed on quickly, and Oct. he visited the
scene of the disaster in the company of the
director general The main body of water
not entirely diverted from tho bed of the river,
but the breach was gradually widening and
there was no lmm ediate prospect of closing it.
Steps were, however, being taken to have the
two ends of it firmly secured SO az to prevent
further collapses.
Officers at the same time sent to ascer-
tain the source of the current, and as
the waters have subsidized little, Immediate
action suited TO the circumstances of the case
will be taken to have the opening filed up. The
affair occurred during the night, and though
the people in the vicinity of the embankment
made their escape, it is feared that there may be
no inconsiderable loss of life in the distant
districts visited by the floods. Rats are being
constructed and boats hired to carry food, cloth
ing and mating for the relief of the sufferers.
The memoriast is afraid that the disaster may
cause some popular excitement, and he thinks it
advisable that he should go back at once to the
provincial capital TO guard against such
tingency. Though he has only recently taken
up his post, the memoralist considers that he has
failed in his duty guardian of the river and
he asks that he may be handed over to the
board for the determination of penalty. Au
tograph Rescript: We have attentively perused
the foregoing and we command that action be
taken, in compliance with our previous decree
for ascertainlne the extent of country that has
been Hooded, ana furnishing US with report
the subject. Let measures be at the same time
taken for the relief of the sufferers, and let the
and Cheng-fu instantly devise
means for stopping the breach. In view of the
m6mOrlallSt a